title: Echoes of a distant past: The cag pathogenicity island of Helicobacter pylori.
abstract: This review discusses the multiple roles of the CagA protein encoded by the cag pathogenicity island of Helicobacter pylori and highlights the CagA degradation activities on p53. By subverting the p53 tumor suppressor pathway CagA induces a strong antiapoptotic effect. Helicobacter pylori infection has been always associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. The pro-oncogenic functions of CagA also target the tumor suppressor ASPP2. In the absence of tumor suppressor genes, cells survive and proliferate at times and in places where their survival and proliferation are inappropriate.
authors.affiliation: Systems Biology Unit, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pacchiani
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Censini
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buti
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Covacci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D058947:Bacterial Secretion Systems / Q000502:physiology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D058947:Bacterial Secretion Systems; C090468:TP53BP2 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori